Back pain can really put a damper on your day-to-day routine. People normally ask, what are the best exercise for upper back pain. Here you’ll find out some simple exercises that can help you ease your upper back pain. 

What are the best exercise for upper back pain

There are many exercises that can help you ease your upper back pain but the common and simplest are: 

• Cat-cow pose
• Opposite arm/leg raise
• Dynamic stretching 
• Neck roll
• Overhead arm stretch 
• Chair rotation 

Cat-cow pose

The cat-cow pose is a gentle stretch that can help ease the pain in your middle back.

1. Start on all fours with your neck neutral.
2. Your palms should be directly under your shoulders, and your knees should be directly under your hips.
3. On an inhale, tuck your pelvis and round out your mid back. Draw your navel toward your spine and drop your head to relax your neck.
4. After 3–5 seconds, exhale and return to a neutral spine position.
5. Turn your face toward the sky, allowing your back to sink toward the floor. Hold for 3–5 seconds.
6. Repeat this sequence 5 times.  
   

Opposite arm/leg raise

This exercise, sometimes called the bird-dog pose in yoga, strengthens your abdominals and back muscles.

1. Get on your hands and knees. Keep your spine straight, with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees aligned directly under your hips.
2. Slowly reach out with one arm while extending the leg on its opposite side. Keep both straight and level.
3. Hold for a few deep breaths, then gently lower your arm and leg to starting position.
4. Repeat this exercise with your other arm/leg.
5. If you had a tissue box balanced on your lower back it should remain in place throughout the exercise.
6. Try for 10 to 15 repetitions on each side.

Dynamic stretching 

These stretch the joints and muscles through their full range of motion. Below are some dynamic stretches that may help ease and prevent upper back pain.

Trunk rotation

To perform the trunk rotation:

1. Lie on the back with the knees bent and the feet flat.
2. Keeping the knees bent, gently rotate them to the right side.
3. Hold this position for a few seconds.
4. Return the knees to the center.
5. Repeat the stretch several times on both sides.

Neck roll

This exercise is vey good for your upper back

1. Stand or sit facing forward. Begin by tilting your neck to the right. You should feel the stretch through your neck to your trap muscle.
2. After a second or two, slowly roll your head counterclockwise.
3. Pause for a second or two when you reach your left shoulder.
4. Complete the rotation by ending where you started.
5. Repeat these steps, rolling clockwise.
6. Repeat this sequence 2–3 times.

Overhead arm reach

This is also a simple stretch of the shoulders which is good to ease upper back pain

1. Sit in a chair, facing forward, with your feet on the floor.
2. Extend your right arm above your head and reach to the left. Bend your torso until you feel the stretch in your right lat and shoulder.
3. Return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times, then do the same thing with your left arm.

Chair rotation

Another simple and common that’s use to prevent and ease upper back pain 

1. Sit sideways in a chair. Your right side should be resting against the back of the chair.
2. Keeping your legs stationary, rotate your torso to the right, reaching for the back of the chair with your hands.
3. Hold your upper body in rotation, using your arms to stretch deeper and deeper as your muscles loosen.
4. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times on each side.